The European lottery landscape is changing. Paper tickets, bought in brick-and-mortar shops, are already being supplemented – and may eventually be overtaken – by online offerings. The digital transformation of the lottery world is challenging state monopolies and traditional operators. Private competition is coming, but adequate regulation is lacking. More fundamentally, should governments, apart from their role as regulators, even be in the lottery business?

Lotnext is looking to connect lottery executives, private operators, policy makers, technology providers, investors, and charities to help them stay abreast of the latest developments while a fundamental transformation is rocking the competitive lottery environment.

Our Lotnext Briefing reaches hundreds of lottery insiders. Signing up is free. We also invite our readers to contribute and share their insights. Let us know what you think. We can be reached at: editor@lotnext.com.

Lotteries and Governments

To what extent should state governments be involved in offering lottery products? In most European countries, lotteries were originally set up to provide funding for national charities and sports, or even to directly fill the state’s coffers.

Considering that the online marketplace does not recognize national boundaries, does such a set-up remain viable in the future? If not, how should sports and charities be financed instead?

Marcel Wintels, president of Dutch cycling association KNWU, for instance, recognizes that the government’s traditional role in lotteries is changing and proposes, as described here (in English), a wholly different model for funding national sports.

More broadly speaking, the KNWU’s president raises an interesting point: if it is becoming increasingly impractical for national governments to remain directly involved in the lottery market, should they keep trying or would it be wiser to think of a different way to achieve the goals for which lotteries were originally set up? Read the full article here.

Spanish Lottery ONCE Organizes Responsible Gaming Conference

Spanish lottery ONCE, founded to raise funds to provide services for the blind and people with visual impairments, further demonstrated its commitment to social responsibility by organizing a conference on responsible gaming, which took place Friday, November 20th.

At the conference, Carlos Hernández Rivera, director-general of Spanish gambling regulator Dirección General de Ordenación del Juego (DGOJ) said that online gaming has produced “new risks” for players, which the regulator and operators must address together.

Hernández Rivera added that responsible gaming was his organization’s “most important responsibility,” illustrating that lottery operators entering new markets will undoubtedly be asked to address this particular issue. Read the Full Article here.

The Changing Lottery Landscape in the Netherlands

Last but not last, Peter-Paul de Goeij, managing director at Lottovate Nederland talks about the changing landscape of the Dutch lottery market in this video interview.

“[I]n the average spend per capita on lottery products, the Netherlands is actually lagging behind. It’s below the European average,” De Goeij said.

De Goeij also pointed out that two major lotteries, the Staatsloterij and De Lotto, are planning a merger, while three other major lotteries are owned by a single company, leaving “great potential” for new entrants in the Dutch lottery market.